Ironer mechanism



Sept. 5, 1944. F. A. PARISH TRoNE'R MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 20,1936 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

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' Sept. 5, 1944. F. A. PARISH IRONER MECHANISM v I Original Filed Feb.20, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VENTOR.

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F. A. PARISH IRONER MECHANISM Original Filed Feb. 20, 1956 '5Shets-Sheet s QZIIIIIIIII- %TTORNEYJ.

Patented Sept. 5, 1944 2,357,685 IRONER MECHANISM Fred A. Parish,Whittier, Calif assignort'o Automatic Washer Company, Newton, Iowa,acorporation of Delaware Original application February 20, 1936, SerialNo. 64,825. Divided and this application October 4, 19-39, Serial No.299,504

3 Claims. (01. 3861) This invention has reference to the art of makingimproved and simplified driving mechanism for domestic power driven rollironing machines and is a division of co-pending application Serial No.64,825, issued March 12, 1940, as Patent No. 2,193,538.

The particular object of the invention is to provide a driving mechanismfor roll ironers, which includes power means for controlling rotation ofthe ironing roll and for controlling power operation of the ironingshoe.

A further object is to provide a mechanism as aforesaid, in which thereis included a manually operated clutch for controlling the roll drivingmeans and an additional manually operated clutch for'controlling theshoe operating means.

An additional object is to provide a clutch mechanism controlling theshoe operating means, which clutch mechanism is provided with specialgaged position and a device for holding the clutch in either of itsoperating positions.

Another object is to provide a shoeoperating mechanism which includes aneccentric member revolvable in steps through 180 degrees to oper- 2Q atethe ironing shoe toward or away from the roll and manually controlledclutch mechanism connecting the eccentric with the power drivenelementsin such a manner as to operate the ecmeans for operating the clutch inand out of en- Fig.5 is a viewsimilar to Fig. 4 showing parts inoperated position, as will be explained;

Fig'. 6 is a sectional fragmental view taken on line 66 in Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a fragmental detailed view showing control elementsto bedescribed;

Fig. 8 is a detailed view showing parts of the mechanism disclosed inFig. 7 in operated position; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmented sectional elevational view showing details of'mechanism to be described. Ironing machines of the domestic power driven tye are well-known and widely distributed, and since my invention may beembodied with many of the Well-known types of roll'ironers, I willconfine myself to a brief description of the ironing shoe and rollmechanisms shown herein. Detailed description is thought unnecessary.

The ironing mechanism comprises a roll [0 rotatably mounted upon ahousing structure H and connected with the driving mechanism by means"of a shaft l2, and means for rotatingthe shaft and roll to be describedshortly. An ironing shoe I3 is mounted by means of an arm mechanism l4secured to a shaft structure l5, supported in its outboard end by astand I6, which is afiixed centric through the aforementioned steps of100 30,130 the structure l1, supporting the housing H.

degrees, and means automatically requiring separate operation of themanual control means for each step of operation of the eccentric.

It is an additional object to provide a clutching mechanism controllingrotation of the ironing roll, manual means controlling the clutch, an'additional clutching mechanism controlling operation of the ironingshoe, manual means controlling the latter clutch, and mechanismconnecting the ironing shoe mechanism and first mentioned clutch wherebyrotation of the roll is controlled responsively to movement of the shoetoward and away from the roll.

' Other objects and advantages will be apparent in the followingdescription and accompanying Thepshaft structure l5 extends within thehousing 1 I and to its inner end is attached an arm I 8, which latter isco'nnectecLby means to be described, with my novel shoev and rolldriving mechanism. The shaft l2 of roll l0 carries on its inner end agear I 9 which meshes with a pinion 20 carried upon a sleeve structure2|, which latter is rotatably mounted upona horizontal shaft 22 slidablymounted at the left hand end in a bearing 23 formed-inthe housingstructure H and at its right hand end in an inwardly extendin-g bossportion 24 of a bracket fixture 25 secured to the inner side of theouter wall of the housing II. The shaft is keyed against rotation inbearing 23.

The sleeve structure '2! has a. flanged portion 26, which is providedwith a series of teeth 21 lying upon its'right' hand face.

Ata point within the boss 24, the shaft 22 is chamfered, as shown at 28,and opposite this chamfered end is a similarly formed end of a shaft 29,which has a shoulder 30 resting upon an annular ledge formed in fixture25 and extending to a"point outside the housing II. On the ex-; tendingend of the shaft is a handle member 3|.

A ball click device 32, secured in the wall of fixture 25 is adapted toco-act with recesses in shaft 29, the recesses being disposed on theshaft in such position as to hold the same in several adjustedpositions.

Shaft 22 carries a pin 33 carrying a roller 33 and a hardened washer 34is disposed between the roller and the inner face of flange portion 26of sleeve member 2|. A coil spring 35 reacts between the wall structureII and sleeve 2| to normally urge the latter toward the right, It willnow become apparent that rotation of shaft 29, as by means of handle 3|,will bring about a change in the relationship between the angularlydisposed contacting faces at 28 so as to bring the high part of shaft 29into contact with the high part of shaft 22 and thus shaft 22 will beforced toward the left, pressing the pin 33 against the flange of sleeve2| in opposition to spring 35 whereby sleeve 2| is moved toward theleft. Lying opposite and in the path of teeth 21 is a series ofcooperative teeth 36 which are carried upon the face of a worm gearmember 31. Worm gear 31 is meshed by a worm 38 secured to a verticalshaft 39 which extends downwardly into the housing structure and hasdriving connection with a shaft 40 of a conventional drive motor 4|. Theworm gear is mounted for rotation on a sleeve structure 42, there beingprovided a suitable bushing 31' disposed between the surfaces of themembers, as shown.

With motor 4| running the worm gear 31 is constantly rotating and itwill'be apparent that, by means of manipulation of handle 3|, asdescribed, the sleeve structure 2| may be alternately moved back andforth to engage the teeth 21 with the teeth 36 whereby the roll isalternately driven and stopped.

The sleeve structure 42 carries an eccentric member 43. That part of thesleeve structure lying under the eccentric is rotatably supported uponthe boss portion 24 of fixture 25 and while supporting worm gear 31, itis itself made rotatable within the gear 31 and upon the shaft 22 andboss portion 24.

Reference will now be had to Figs. 2 to 5,

wherein there is shown a rocking member 44 pivotally mounted uponshoulder rivet 45 affixed in offset position in the body of eccentric43.

Member 44 has a disc like form and an enlarged opening at its center byreason of which it may rock upon shoulder rivet 45 without interferencewith the sleeve 42. On the side opposite shoulder rivet 45 is a springand link mechanism 46 pivotally mounted at 41 on the eccentricstructure. The mechanism 46 is obviously an overcenter device which hasthe function of urging member 44 toward either of its extreme positionsand holding it in such position. The parts may lie in the position shownin Fig, 5. Member 44 is provided with a tooth 48 which is movable intoor out of engagement with one of a series of inwardly directed teeth 49lying inside the rim of worm gear 31.

It will be apparent that with the parts lying in position shown in Fig.5 the mechanism 46 acts to hold member 44 and tooth 48 away from thepath of teeth 49, whereas if member 44 is rocked in counterclockwisedirection to a point beyond dead center alignment between pivot 41 andshoulder rivet 45, that is, a little more than one-half its stroke, themechanism 46 will force member 44 to continue the counterclockwisemovement until member 44 reaches a stop position which, in thisinstance, is a position in which the tooth 48 is in firm engagement withone of the teeth 49. The engaged position is shown in dotted lines inFig. 4.

Rockably mounted upon the sleeve 42 and disposed adjacent member 44 is amember 50 having plural oppositely disposed arms 5| and 52. A stud 53secured in member 44 loosely engages a slot 54 in member 50. A spring 55having one end attached to member 50 and the opposite end anchored onthe body of eccentric 43 tends to rotate member 50 upon sleeve 42 incounterclockwise direction whereby, through the connection of stud 53,similar rotation is imparted to member 44.

With the arms 5| and 52 left free the mechanism just described willnormally lie with teeth 48 and 49 engaged, whereby the rotation of wormgear 31 causes unitary rotation, through connection of the shoulderrivet 45, of the eccentric 43. With parts in this position rotation ofeccentric 43 and the entire mechanism will obviously continue until oneof arms 5| or 52 is obstructed, whereupon the arm will cease to rotateand rotation of stud 53 will be arrested while at the same time shoulderrivet 45 will continue to rotate. This situation will obviously resultin counterclockwise rotation of member 44 on shoulder rivet 45 and thetooth 48 will thus be withdrawn from engagement with the tooth 49, themechanism 46 assisting the movement.

When the movement has progressed far enough to bring mechanism 46 intoaction the member 44 obviously completes its stroke to withdraw thetooth 48 out of the path of the teeth 49.

With the arms obstructed, as noted, the entire mechanism, includingeccentric 43, will obviously remain stationary.

In view of the foregoing it will be clear that member 59 is a controlmember which performs its function through being freed or stopped toengage or disengage the clutch elements and thus cause intermittentrotation of eccentric 43.

To control the member 56 I provide an arm 56 having a hook portion 51which lies in the path of the ends of arms 5| and 52, as shown.

Arm 56 is secured to a shaft 58 which, as shown in Fig. 1, is journalledin a bushing secured in the wall housing H. A handle 59 is secured tothe outer end of the shaft, and a spring 58' urges the arm 56 to rotatein counter clockwise direction so as to normally hold the hook 51 in thepath of arm 5| or 52, see Fig. 7. Rotation of arm 56 beyond the desiredpoint is limited by a stop 60 and thus the parts are normally held inthe solid line position, shown in Fig. '1. It is thought apparent thatwith the parts lying in the latter position one of the arms, 5| or 52,is normally held stationary and thus the eccentric 43 is held stationaryin one of two positions, which lie degrees apart.

.With the worm gear 31 in rotation and the eccentric stationary, handle59 may be rotated in clockwise direction, as shown in dotted outline inFig. '7, to withdraw hook 51 from the path of one of the arms 5! or 52,whereupon the mechanism will operate as described to rotate theeccentric. If after the hook 51 has been withdrawn to permit escapementof, for instance, arm 5| and is immediately returned to its obstructingposition it will be in the path of the oncoming arm 52, which willeventually engage it and thus the mechanism will have revolved to a stopat 180 degrees. Repetition of the movement of handle 59 just describedwill obviously result in another step of movement of the mechanism to180 degrees. Thus, the movement of eccentric 43 may be controlled bymeans of single momentary manipulation of handle 59.

In practical use it may be possible that an operator moving the handle59 may fail to allow it to return to obstructing position within thetime required for the oncoming arm to reach the hook and thus the armwill pass by without being stopped and the eccentric will be rotatedthrough 360 degrees. As will appear later, the normal functioning of theeccentric depends upon its movement through only 180 degrees and forthis reason it is desirable to provide against the possibility ofmovement of any greater extent. In order to insure the escapement ofonly one arm as a result of only one manipulation of handle 59, Iprovide a novel means for forcibly returning hook to obstructingposition regardless ofthe operators movement.

To accomplish this I arrange a slotted opening in member 56 into whichthe arms 5| and 52 enter during movement toward the hook. As shown inFigs. 7 and 8 the slot is enlarged at the top and gradually contracts toa throat 6| through which the arm must pass before reaching hook 51, andin passing through this throat the arm obviously forces the member 56into aligned position so that the hook 5! lies in the path of the arm.Fig. 8 illustrates the action. Thus, it is made impossible for anoperator, with any one manipulation, to permit rotation of eccentric 43through more than 180 degrees.

The function of eccentric 43 may now be described:

The arm IB mounted upon shaft I5 has already been noted. Operation ofthe latter arm from solid to dotted line position in Fig. 1 obviouslycauses operation of the arm I4 to move the shoe l3 toward or away fromthe roll 19.

The arm I8 is connected, through a conventional resilient spring linkagemechanism 62 with the eccentric 43-by means of a band member 63.Connecting mechanisms of this type are thought sufliciently conventionalto obviate detailed description herein further than to say that when theeccentric lies with its high side toward the arm I8, the arm is movedbackwardly, shoe l3 is moved toward and into contact withthe ironingroll and is held in resilient pressure relation therewith by means ofthe spring 54 being placed in compression, whereby irregularities in thethickness of garments lying between roll IO' and shoe l3 are compensatedand the pressure of the shoe on the garments is substantially constant.The position of the eccentric shown in Fig. 1 corresponds to, forexample, the position of arms 5! and 52 in Fig. 5. In the event ofmanipulation of handle 59, permitting arm 52 to escape, as described,the eccentric 43 will obviously be rotated 180 degrees which will placeits high side away from arm l8, thus rotating the arm toward theeccentric and moving shoe l3 away from the roll. In the latter positionof the eccentric the arm 52 will obviously be in contact with hook 51,as shown in Fig. 4.

As will be apparent, during operation of the mechanism just described,when either of arms 5| or 52 is obstructed to effect disengagement oftooth 48, the spring 55 is placed under tension. As has already beendescribed, the spring has one end anchored to eccentric 43, and when themechanism is stopped, as in Fig. 1, the spring would tend to rotate theeccentric in counterclockwise direction. This tendency, in the presenceof the slight disturbance usually resulting from normal operation of theassociated mecha nism, is likely to result in back-slip movement of theeccentric, which movement would eventually result in re-engagement oftooth 48 whereupon the eccentric would be re-rotated to originalposition, to begin another cycle of back-slip movement.

Such performance would obviously beunsatisfactory and to avoid it Iprovide a mechanism capable of locking the eccentric against back-slipmovement as follows:

In the base portion of the eccentric band structure is an aperture 79,one side of which is open to the face of the eccentric. Between the faceof the eccentric and the back wall of the aperture is a floating rollerll urged downwardy by a spring 12 disposed in an aperture in the basestructure and backed by a screw 73.

The back wall of aperture 19 is so disposed with reference to the faceof the eccentric t at roller H rests in wedging relationship betweenthem.

It will be obvious that the roller forms a looking element which,through its wedging action, effectively locks the eccentric against backslip rotation.

Attention is now directed to Figs. 3 and 9 in which it is shown that aportion of the left hand face of the sleeve structure 42 is cut away soas to provide faces at two levels, there being an inclined surface 42'leading from the lower to the higher face.

The faces are so arranged with reference to .eccentric 43 that when theeccentric is positioned to place the ironing shoe in contact with theroll, the low face lies under roller 33' and the'roller, together withshaft 22, is held so as to position the roll clutch elements in drivingengagement whereas when the eccentric is positioned to hold the shoeaway from the roll, the high face lies under the roller and shaft 22,together with clutch elements 21, are shifted out of driving en agementas indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 9.

It will be readily apparent that successive manipulations of handle 59will result in alternately placing eccentric 43 in the positions noted,whereby shoe !3 is operated toward and away from the roll I 0.

In view of the foregoing, it will be clear that in practical operationof the ironer. the handle 59, by reason of its control of eccentric 43,is adapted to control rotation of the roll, whereby when it is operatedto move the shoe away from the roll the roll is automatically stopped,and when operated to move the shoe into contact with the roll, the rollis automatically started. Such operation is useful in ordinary ironingactivity.

When the handle 3i is operated to render the roll stationary, as hasbeen described, the shoe may obviously be operated toward or away fromthe stationary roll by means of the handle 59. Such operation is usefulin the work of pressing garments and materials.

The utility of the slot arrangement including the throat 6| abovedescribed, will now become apparent.

Under conditions of practical use the speed of rotation of worm gear 31is substantially rapid and when handle 59 is manipulated the eccentricand shoe are quite rapidly operated to their new positions. Without thethroat 6! it would be quite easy for an operator to forgetfully hold thehandle 59 in open position for a short period of time, and if it is heldin this position for sufficient time to permit the passage of theopposite arm, the eccentric will obviously make a complete revolutionand thus the shoe is likely to be moved through a cycle over intocontact with the roller and back to its original position. Suchoperation will obviously be undesirable. There may be times when theoperation is unexpected and the operators fingers might be placed indanger. Such a situation might arise, for instance, when the shoe isbeing held against the roll and a normal ironing or pressing operationis in progress. The operator, wishing to move the shoe away from theroll, would manipulate handle 59 and while at the same time one hand maybe on the roll and very close to the shoe. The operator, assuming thathis manipulation of handle 59 would result in movement of the shoe awayfrom the roll might permit the fingers to come under the shoe whereuponin case he did not return the hook 5! quickly enough the shoe wouldimmediately return to the roll and might contact the operators fingers.

In normal use the operator controls the movement of the shoe and rollentirely by control handle 59. With the shoe away from the roll and rollstationary, she places the work on the roll and depresses the handle 59,thereupon the shoe moves into pressure contact with the roll and theroll rotates. By again depressing the handle 59, the shoe moves awayfrom the roll and the roll stops rotating. By actuating the lever 3| allrotation of the roll is stopped and thereupon when the operatordepresses the handle 59, the shoe merely moves into pressure contactwith the stationary roll. By again depressing the lever 59, the shoe isremoved from the stationary roll. This type of operation is used forpressing.

The foregoing has described an ironer mechanism embodying my invention.Modifications of structure are obviously possible without alteration ofthe principle disclosed. I do not wish to be limited in structure orfunction, except within the scope of the appended claims.

Iclaim:

1. Inan ironer drive mechanism having a roll and a shoe, mechanism forrotating the roll and for moving the shoe into and out of pressureengagement with the roll, said mechanism comprising a support shaft, arotatable eccentric journaled on said shaft for moving the shoe, a maindrive gear journaled on said shaft adjacent the eccentric, said maindrive gear having a surrounding rim with inwardly projecting clutchteeth on said rim, a clutch member housed within said rim, meansconnecting said clutch member with the eccentric for rotation therewithand for movement relative thereto, said clutch member having aperipheral tooth for clutch engagement with the rim clutch teeth toconnect the eccentric with the drive gear, a rocking member journaled onsaid shaft and having operative connection with the clutch member formoving said clutch member into and out of clutch engagement with themain drive gear, said rocking member having oppositely disposed arms forrocking movement with said rocking member, a

catch having spaced sides forming a throat therebetween adapted toreceive the rocking arms therein, one.of said spaced sides having ashoulder thereon extending transversely of the throat in the path of thearms to hold said arms against rocking movement, the opposite side beingshortened to provide a side outlet for the arm upon longitudinalmovement thereof and means mounting said catch for swinging movement ofsaid shoulder thereof transversely into and out of the path of rockingmovement of the arms.

2. In an ironer drive mechanism, the combination of a roll and a shoe,and mechanism for rotating the roll and for moving the shoe into and outof pressure engagement with the roll, said mechanism comprising asupport shaft, a main drive gear mounted on said support shaft, drivemeans for moving the shoe toward and from the roll, station mechanismfor connecting said drive gear with the drive means, said stationmechanism including a control member rotatable therewith, said controlmember having oppositely disposed arms, a holding member having spacedsides forming a throat therebetween, means mounting said holding memberto position the spaced sides on opposite sides of the plane of movementof the control member arms and for swinging movement laterally relativethereto, one of said spaced sides having a shoulder thereon extendingtransversely of the throat in position to engage one of the arms in oneposition of said holding member, said holding member having a lateralopening between said shoulder and the opposed side for releasing the armfrom the shoulder therethrough upon swinging movement of the controlmember.

3. In an ironer drive mechanism, the combination of a roll and a shoe,and mechanism for rotating the roll and for moving the shoe into and outof pressure engagement with the roll, said mechanism comprising alongitudinally shiftable support shaft, a main drive gear mounted onsaid support shaft, drive means for moving the shoe toward and from theroll, station mechanism for connecting said drive gear with the drivemeans, said station mechanism including a control member rotatabletherewith, said control member having oppositely disposed arms, aholding member having spaced-sides forming a throat therebetween, meansmounting said holding member to position the spaced sides on oppositesides of the plane of movement of the control member arms and forswinging movement laterally relative thereto, one of said spaced sideshaving a shoulder thereon extending transversely of the throat inposition to engage one of the arms in one position of said holdingmember, said holding member having a lateral opening between saidshoulder and the opposed side for releasing the arm upon longitudinalshifting of the support shaft from the shoulder therethrough uponswinging movement of the control member.

F. A. PARISH.

